Jitendra Sharma* and Sashi Gupta
Objective: The study aims to find out the causative agent of severe gastroenteritis cases reported during an outbreak in Lakhimpur, Assam. Methods: Stool specimens were collected from randomly selected 23 severe patients. Culture and sensitivity test was done for detection of Vibrio cholerae-like organisms. Water samples were also collected from their drinking water sources for H2S and most probable number (MPN) test. Results: In September, 2014, a total of 152 numbers of cases having symptoms of vomiting, watery diarrhoea, fever and abdominal pain were reported from Joyhing and Koilamari tea garden under Boginodi block public health centre (BPHC). Male to female ratio was 1:1.17. The initial case was detected on 4th September, thereafter slowly increasing and reached at peak level on 8th September. Culture showed growth of Vibrio cholerae O1, El Tor, Ogawa in 13 numbers of samples after 24 hours of aerobic incubation and was confirmed by biochemical test. All age groups were affected. Females were more vulnerable for Vibrio cholerae infection. The overall case fatality rate was 2.63% and fatality rate of cholera was 7.69%. Large numbers of the cholera positive cases (4 nos) were detected from Tarbine line. The sensitivity test showed that Vibrio Cholerae infected patients were resistance to common antimicrobials like Penicillin G, Bacitracin, Co-trimoxazole and Trimethoprim. Fecal– oral route of transmission was established as the major cause of the outbreak. All the collected water samples were also found to be contaminated. Conclusion: The people from this area are mostly uneducated. They are having very poor knowledge on proper hygiene. So, special task should be needed to spread awareness among the people of this garden.
